


King of the Clouds

by SketchWitch



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Avian Au, M/M, No beta reader, miiiiiiiiight raise rating later, so does yuuri but it's a secret, trying to make it a slow burn, victor's got wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-09-02 14:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20277322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchWitch/pseuds/SketchWitch
Summary: Set during the Avian Revolution, lawyer and Avian-advocate Victor Nikiforov has been found as an Avian and captured by humans! Victor is kept in a laboratory as a 'test subject' on the surface, but in reality... he's a prisoner of war.Yuuri Katsuki, secretly also an Avian, is employed by a laboratory to perform scientific and medical research on Avians. He means to conduct his study entirely for scientific purposes, until the facility places him in charge of a high-level secret subject: Subject VN-1225.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> So begins my first work in the YOI fandom! It's based off of a roleplay I've done with tumblr user @blades-of-ice as @extra-snowflake. Hopefully, I can continue this story alongside the rp. You can find my personal tumblr @xehanikeshorts if you have suggestions or comment below. I hope you enjoy!

Three days. Or, approximately three days. When there aren't any windows or clocks, it can be hard to tell, but Viktor could see the dates on the logs for each scientist that came through to take data on some trait or other. It had been exhausting, posing as a human for so long, and he was bound to be caught eventually. Yakov would say that he was slacking, and that was why he got himself caught. No matter, he would find a way to escape. He escaped every time someone tried to put him in a cage.

The cage in this case was some sort of "laboratory," which truthfully seemed nothing more than a glorified torture chamber, with all sorts of instruments that had long before been banned for use on humans. But, he supposed that, circumstances being what they were, no one felt a smidge of guilt using them on avians. Viktor scowled, ruffling his wings and picking out a few feathers in the process. He'd heard horror stories of subjects that had been processed through such facilities as these labs; previously, it had been non-sapient animals. To humans, there was no difference between avians and such animals, but the reality was… avians were people. They were "people" in the same way that mermaids, fauns, and centaurs were (not that Viktor had seen or met any of these types of individuals, though he supposed that they also existed), but they still held something like humanity. Viktor had been attempting to find precedent cases to make the laboratories illegal, and only had luck in some smaller, easily-swayed communities. This city was the first where someone caught him being something other than an over-empathetic, overenthusiastic human.

When the lights came on, someone new walked into the doorway; a young man Viktor didn't recognize. He wore a short lab coat, and had all the nerves of a new recruit. Viktor did his best not to stare, even though he was the most exciting thing to happen in this space for several hours. There was a supervisor who followed shortly after, detailing procedures and protocols for the lab space. The supervisor spoke in a sort of monotone, though each word was clear and crisp, as though they didn’t care that Viktor could understand everything they were saying.

“You’re to take measurements of vital signs—pulse rate, oxygenation, blood pressure, and temperature—three times a day, and every morning, you’ll need to take a small sample of blood. We’ll test other bodily fluids like urine or mucus if the subject seems ill, but you won’t have to worry about those just yet. You are also assigned to setting up various procedures as detailed in the schedule. Some of them may be for other subjects than the one you are assigned to, but that’s just to cover the bases for your internship experience, as some subjects will require different procedures than others,” the supervisor rattled off instructions. “Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Katsuki?”

The lab tech intern shook his head and offered his thanks for the supervisor’s guidance. Why did the name Katsuki ring a bell?

The supervisor nodded. "This is where you're assigned, then. For now, you are simply assigned to Subject VN-1225. Ordinarily, we would assign an intern up to three subjects, but this one… can be quite a handful." Viktor scoffed, but the supervisor continued, "Please alert one of the regular staff if you have any difficulties." With that, they left the room, leaving Lab Tech Intern Katsuki to be responsible for him.

There was something about him Viktor couldn't place. Mr. Katsuki cautiously approached the door to the cage with the most conflicted look on his face, and Viktor could only look on in curiosity. He spread his wings, not quite ready to let his guard down. Until, that is, Viktor saw his awed and terrified face.

"U-um," Mr. Katsuki cleared his throat, his face flushing adorably. "My name is Yuuri. I'm going to be responsible for you from now on, so, uh, it's nice to meet you…" he trailed off. "Could I ask your name?"

Viktor felt his heart jump a little, and his lips formed a little "o" of surprise. No one had bothered with his name since he’d been assigned a number. "Nikiforov," he supplied. "I'm Viktor Nikiforov."


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri can't stand the inhumane treatment of the laboratory toward avians, particularly Viktor.

The crazy thing about Yuuri Katsuki was that he almost always went with his friend Phichit’s wild ideas. And of those cases, almost all of them were dumb: challenging football jocks to a fight in at 3 AM in a Denny’s parking lot, getting drunk and enrolling in pole dance lessons, and generally talking to somewhat attractive girls were all ideas that came to mind. Starting an internship at an animal research facility that barely concealed the fact that they were also interrogating avians? Possibly the worst idea Phichit ever had. Avians were beautiful, kind, and charming, but also terrifying and dangerous when provoked. Most of them had lived around humans for years, and considered themselves “human enough,” but they were still treated poorly in society--not unlike the days when racism and cissexism were still rampant. Yuuri did his best most days to keep his mind off it.

Starting his internship, though, would be a trial. The facility advertised itself as the leading experts on birds of prey, housing various breeds of owl, falcon, and vulture; and though they never advertised it due to controversial public opinion, they also housed avians. It had sickened Yuuri to hear that “all of their subjects were caught in the wild,” even if they “would later be released,” as the supervisor giving him the tour stated. Since Yuuri was a budding “animal behavior expert” with an appreciation for avians, he had a bad feeling that he’d have at least one in his care as he assisted in and conducted experiments. It was clear by the end of the tour of the building that he’d been right. He’d only been assigned one “bird of prey” to keep in his care: Subject VN-1225. 

When Yuuri walked into “his” lab and the lights came on, he immediately noticed two things. First, that Subject VN-1225 was the most angelic, ethereal being he had ever seen; second, that his supervisor had left him with a legally-binding non-disclosure contract, but no ethical forms or training. While it was true that avians were never formally classified as humans or animals--ethics boards made it impossible, as personal feelings clouded the judgment of all involved--Yuuri thought that he would at least have been required to receive training for animals, as the facility  _ did _ specialize in them. Was he, then, assigned solely to this avian…?

Yuuri approached. There had been an ongoing rebellion for years with avians fighting for human status (they  _ were _ humans, just with wings and some bird-like behaviors). For this avian’s age, he must have been captured-- _ kidnapped _ \--and brought in for interrogation as a rebel. He was grateful that, when he introduced himself, he received a name in kind.  _ Viktor Nikiforov _ ; a somewhat familiar name. At least he didn’t have to feel like a total idiot for making an assumption. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Has anyone come in yet for the morning, Viktor? I’d like to get you breakfast, but I think there were some things I had to do first…” he asked, reviewing his checklist. He found items necessary for research, but also noticed in his review that certain items were lacking. Personal hygiene was no laughing matter, and bathing materials were absent from the list, as well as the cage. In answer to Yuuri’s question, Viktor shook his head and mumbled a denial. “How about we get you cleaned up first?” Yuuri suggested. All Yuuri had on him for cleaning, though, was rubbing alcohol. That wouldn’t do. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, turning back toward the door.

He composed a message to Phichit.

>>Hey, do you have any dry shampoo??

>>I could really use it.

Phichit messaged back seconds later

I gotchu, fam<<

Where r u? <<

>>I’m in Lab C.

B right there <<

Within minutes, Phichit arrived, bearing shampoo, a comb, and various other toiletries he would ordinarily use for overnight stays. Yuuri thought Viktor would especially appreciate them, given that he was stuck in the cage. There was even a water bottle, a bowl, and a towel, if he wanted to wash his face. With a sympathetic look, Phichit said, “I know you took a shower just this morning, so I figured you weren’t the one who needed it. I grabbed the extra supplies that are there--which were for emergencies like getting bird shit in your hair--just in case. Let’s hope it isn’t someone important to the rebels, so they get released sooner.”

Always the optimist, Phichit was. Near Detroit, release could mean that they don’t make it out alive, and if they do, the odds of them getting very far weren’t the greatest. If they were one of the rebel leaders, there was no chance at all.

Yuuri and Phichit returned to their stations, and Yuuri presented Phichit’s self-care kit to Viktor, who carefully washed his face and tried his best to clean the rest of his body before brushing his teeth. Yuuri didn’t dare interfere until it came to the dry shampoo.

“What is this?” Viktor asked. Hadn’t he ever used dry shampoo before? “How does ‘dry shampoo’ work??”

“Oh, it can be awkward to use when you have long hair,” Yuuri pointed out. “But basically, you just spray your hair with it and it pulls out the excess oils.”

“Huh,” Viktor replied. He sprayed around his head. “Now what?”

Yuuri smiled awkwardly. “You’ll have to comb it through, at the very least.” He watched Viktor comb through his silver-toned hair. It may as well have been moonbeams, Yuuri thought, with how it glowed in the light. His smile relaxed at the sight. He cleared his throat as Viktor finished his task.

“If you’re done, I have to check your vitals and collect a small blood sample…” he mumbled. Viktor nodded, but remained impassive. Yuuri wondered if he was the type to faint when he had his blood drawn. Probably not, but Yuuri figured he would grab some juice anyway, as well as whatever the facility provided for him to eat (what looked like crackers and not much else; maybe some vitamin supplements, as a medical necessity) while he grabbed the tools. He pouted at the meager cabinet. This really wouldn’t do! Deep breaths, Yuuri!

He approached the cage and unlocked the door; Viktor silently observing him. He stepped inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to start by thanking all my readers so far; I'm quite glad that you're enjoying the story! Just to be clear, I can't really follow a specific update schedule (one of my weaknesses being my lack of consistent writing energy), but I'll do my best to keep writing so that the story doesn't die. I do love the thread this story is based on, so I'm going to try to let that keep me going. Thank you for your continued support!!
> 
> ~SketchWitch


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's kindness does things to Viktor, even though Viktor doesn't trust him. Still, there's something about the young Lab Tech...

Viktor stared numbly at Yuuri. He heard the sound of Yuuri’s breathing, even from across his admittedly spacious cage. Why did the young man seem so nervous? Surely, a human such as he would care little for what he was doing to an avian! All the same, when Yuuri stepped toward him, he seemed as though he was walking on eggshells. And perhaps he had good reason to; Viktor had been designated as one of the more ‘dangerous’ avians. He did have claws (usually, he kept them trimmed, filed down, or hidden away) and bright white wings (colorful wings are meant to ward off predators; he supposed he didn’t need to, with his athletic build). Perhaps that meant he appeared threatening to humans? He supposed he wouldn’t find out as long as he was kept here.

When Yuuri sat beside him, though, the deep and focused breathing slowed. With Viktor’s feathers floating around them, he seemed serene; angelic, even. There was a sort of beauty in his courage, and Viktor gasped at the sight in spite of himself. He stared as Yuuri prepared various tools, arranging them the way he was comfortable before touching his wrist to check his pulse. Heat bloomed across the surface of his skin where Yuuri touched him. Yuuri probably felt his pulse quicken. Viktor schooled his breathing to slow his heart rate, refusing to develop  _ feelings _ for some human assigned to keep him in a cage, even if he had been kind thus far. 

He averted his eyes as Yuuri took his blood pressure and drew a vial of blood for a sample. What the sample was for, he could not fathom; Viktor was healthy, after all. Perhaps it was simply another form of torture, meant to slowly drain him of his energy. However, Yuuri had mentioned breakfast. Perhaps the lab officials would provide him sustenance so he would give them answers? Not that Viktor had many to begin with; he had been approached by avian rebel camps, but never remembered their locations, or even whether or not he’d asked. The less he knew in those cases, the better.

Viktor inhaled sharply as Yuuri pulled the needle from his arm and applied firm pressure to the area.

“Sorry about that,” Yuuri apologized. “The pressure is supposed to help prevent bruising.” He wrapped Viktor’s arm tightly. “Keep that there for a while. I’m going to get you something to eat.” Viktor nodded in reply, as Yuuri gathered his tools. When he stood, Yuuri reached for him again, but stopped short of actually touching him. Viktor eyed him curiously, but Yuuri just closed his hand and dropped it. “U-um, I’ll be right back,” he rushed his words, pink dusting his cheeks in a way that, in any other situation, Viktor might have found  _ exquisite _ . How intriguing.

Viktor watched Yuuri exit the cage. Why on earth would Yuuri, a  _ human _ , go out of his way to help an avian like him? Even if Yuuri was an ally to avians, would he really place himself in a position as a lab attendant in a place like this if he really wanted to help them? The man was a conundrum, indeed. 

Within a moment, however, Yuuri returned with a small bottle of orange juice, as well as some baked muesli biscuits. Even though he didn’t much like muesli, Viktor’s stomach grumbled at the sight of food. Yuuri offered him the biscuits and juice with a small smile.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get something better,” Yuuri said. “You must be really hungry.” Viktor narrowed his eyes and Yuuri’s smile fell away instantly. “N-not that I’m making fun of you or anything!” he denied, waving his hands in front of him. “Just… my family owns a restaurant, and sometimes I had to help out around there…” Yuuri’s disclosure seemed to ring a bell for Viktor. Something about the name Katsuki and a restaurant? He still couldn’t quite remember. Had he ever been there? Nonetheless, Viktor relaxed at the admission. It made Viktor wonder…

“Why did you come to work here, then?” Viktor asked. Yuuri seemed so… different from the ones who captured him and placed him in this cage. Viktor couldn’t really place why he thought so; and, maddening as it was, he wanted to know. Though, now he’d asked, he regretted it. Yuuri would probably force him to give something in return for the information. Even if his spirit wasn’t broken by his captivity, Viktor wasn’t actually the idiot he was being at the moment. He knew better than to get caught up in personal relationships with humans. Yuuri looked like his head was about to explode, anyway. “Actually, forget I asked,” Viktor dismissed his question. Could it be that Yuuri actually felt some shred of remorse…? The question still burned in Viktor’s mind as to what Yuuri was even doing there, but Viktor decided that there were more important things to keep his mind occupied. 

The day was still quite young, so Yuuri had to have Laboratory Technician work to do. Viktor was determined to do anything and everything in his power to keep the avian rebels safe. He’d see to it that Yuuri’s job would never be complete with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm trying to write a chapter ahead of posting. I've written through next chapter, but I'm probably not going to post it until I've written the one that comes after, which may take some time, since I'm supposed to start another job soon. We'll see how well I can manage my time in the future. Thanks to all of you who've left kudos and comments, as well as those of you who've subscribed! I'll do my best to stay motivated! :)


End file.
